In the hair care area, the desire to have hair retain a particular style or shape is widely held. Such style retention is generally accomplished by either of two routes: permanent chemical alteration of the hair fiber or temporary alteration of hair style or shape. A temporary alteration is one which can be removed by water or by shampooing. Temporary style alteration has generally been accomplished by application of a composition to dampened hair after shampooing and/or conditioning and prior to drying and/or styling. Products in the form of mousses, gels, lotions, or sprays are most commonly used for this purpose. Once the desired style is achieved, spray products are commonly used to help retain the style. These various hair care products utilize a variety of gums and resins for providing styling and retention. However, the gums and resins currently used tend to feel either too sticky or too stiff upon the hair. Also, these gums and resins do not wash out as easily as desired. Therefore, the need exists for improved styling and style retention materials which provide a strong, lasting, hold without being either too stiff or too sticky, and yet which are easily removed by shampooing. Furthermore, because most hair care styling compositions are water and/or alcohol based, it is necessary that these materials have good solubility or dispersibility in these bases.
Thermoplastic elastomeric copolymers are well known. These copolymers combine thermoplastic properties, which give them solubility and strength, with rubber-like elastic properties, which give them flexibility and shape retention. However, despite these highly desirable properties, most thermoplastic elastomeric copolymers are generally insoluble or poorly soluble in water and/or alcohol systems and would not be suitable in hair care compositions. Therefore, thermoplastic elastomeric copolymers having good water and/or alcohol solubility would be useful for developing improved hair care compositions.
In the present invention new classes of thermoplastic elastomeric copolymers have been developed which have the desired flexibility, strength, and elastic properties and yet are readily soluble and/or dispersible in water and/or alcohol systems. Furthermore, these materials provide hair care compositions which leave the hair feeling natural, i.e. not stiff.
In addition to the hair care benefits provided by these copolymers, it has been found that these materials are also useful for incorporation into a wide variety of cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions for topical application to the skin. These copolymers provide topical compositions which are more easily and uniformly spread upon the skin, which feel good upon the skin, and yet which are highly substantive. Furthermore, these copolymers are useful for enhancing the penetration of a wide variety of cosmetic and pharmaceutical actives into the skin, or alternatively, through the skin for systemic delivery.
It is an object of the present invention to provide novel, water and/or alcohol soluble and/or dispersible thermoplastic elastomeric copolymers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide novel thermoplastic elastomeric copolymers useful in hair care compositions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide novel hair care compositions having improved styling and/or hold properties and having improved aesthetics.
It is another object of the present invention to provide novel thermoplastic elastomeric copolymers useful in topical skin care cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide novel topical cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions useful for delivering a wide variety of cosmetic materials and pharmaceutical actives to and/or through the skin.
These and other objects will become readily apparent from the detailed description which follows.